RATEPAYERS should not have to fund disabled facilities that are only used by a few people, a councillor claimed.

An argument broke out at a Glusburn Parish Council meeting while members were discussing how the public toilets in the park could be improved.

Currently the toilets have no washbasin and no disabled access - but the cost of the work to upgrade them could prove prohibitive.

"This could cost hundreds of thousands of pounds," said Coun Roger Nicholson. "Is it a viable option to provide the facility? Do we get any benefit from it? It only has minimum use and some times isn't used at all.

"If we put a new toilet block up there with all these facilities, are we going to be able to supervise it and will it be value for money?"

He suggested that the toilet block should be closed altogether if the money could not be found, and argued that if it were to stay open, only the installation of a washbasin was needed.

Disabled toilets were available elsewhere in the village, he said.

The parish council recently invited a representative from the Heritage Lottery to look at the park, with a view to submitting a bid, but was told the park had sufficient facilities and it would not be viewed favourably for a grant.

Chairman Gill Birks said: "Basically they said it was nice as it was. It wasn't a run down park which they were trying to target. It didn't have the age, and the market cross didn't hold any heritage interest so that's a blind alley."

But she argued that the toilets were well used and in this day and age it was important that people had washing facilities and disabled access.

Coun Milton Pearson added: "Do we not have a responsibility to provide disabled access? It is a long way to go into the village for a toilet if we are talking about closing them down. We don't want to be restricting who can use the facilities."

Coun Nicholson responded: "For disabled people Sutton Park is the place to go, not Glusburn with that hill. You have to be realistic with what you do with your resources. Why should the ratepayer pay for facilities that are not used?"

Coun Pearson retorted: "If you are providing a facility you have to provide it for everyone.

"If people who are disabled in this community are paying their rates, they have a right to access the park as well. We can't make a decision that if you want to use the park, you can, unless you are in a wheelchair.

"That's not on, that's not right. Either you support equal rights or you don't."

The council agreed to obtain plumbers' quotes to install a washbasin. However the subject of providing disabled access was adjourned while other avenues could be pursued.

Coun Birks and Pearson felt that other grant sources could be found, while Coun Nicholson argued strongly that the cost should not be met by the precept - the money provided through the council tax to fund village projects.